Friday, 24 September 2010

My worse nightmare happened 2 days ago... my hard drive died and as it is only a few weeks old it has gone back for replacement! This means I have lost everything since my last back up about 4 weeks ago, plus I do not have access to photo programmes etc.. Until I get back on line [probably be a week] I must use my laptop, which I do not like, and it does not like me!

News and photos of my new sewing machine, meeting a yahoo group member from Las Vegas USA, swap with another person etc etc will all have to wait...

Sunday, 19 September 2010

My design wall consists of a machine embroidered wolf waiting to be framed for my husbands birthday on Wednesday, he is getting this and a day "walking with Wolves".. he is wolf mad! The other item is a machine embroidered cushion waiting for three pieces so I can then sew all the 25 4inch squares together.

Saturday, 18 September 2010

A wonderful day with Fran and Tilly on their Sew & Social workshop. Half the group were making a landscape wall hangings, [Tilly's in photo] the rest making a Mola panel, mine is the middle of the bottom row. This takes me out of my comfort zone, as I do not do very much hand sewing, but I really enjoyed the day. Of course the fact we are treated to home cooked lunch makes the day even more special.

Tuesday, 14 September 2010

Monday 13th 7 of us enjoyed a day at BSK Bedford, machine embroidering Napkins and Place mats. It was a fun day with much laughter. Val our tutor is very patient with us. We are all using different models of Brother machines, which were all set up with the pattern ready to start as soon as we walked in the door. Not sure what Val is doing in the first photo... look like she is eating it!

Friday, 10 September 2010

Some time ago [ actually probably years ago!] I started working on a USA stars project. I have travelled extensively in the USA and using Carol Doak's book of stars decided to make a star of each State I had visited. A recent tidy-up and I found the stars in a UFO box and this week thought I would try and get them all made. West Virginia and New Jersey have now joined the others. So far I have made 22, have 3 cut out ready to sew and 7 more waiting to be cut out ! No more USA travel until I finish this project! I plan to quilt as you go these stars together and somehow [suggestions welcome] put lables on them showing the names of the States.

Monday, 6 September 2010

On my design wall I have the "ingredients" for a Sassy Bag, I just love this pattern and have already made 3 of these bags. I want to show my little group how to make one, so hence the display. Also I found on lazygirldesigns.com web site a "recipe" for making it larger, adding a zip etc.. I decided this one should be red and grey and have machine embroidered my initial on what will be the bag flap.

Friday, 3 September 2010

Let me introduce you to our IAM group. 10 years ago a few of us met to make bobbin lace and knit and sew, this expanded to the eight members we now have.. a full house in my workroom!

Ann, Clare, Dorn, Jenny, Maureen, Penny, Shirley and myself. [ notice I have listed them alphabetically.. there is great rivalry as to who started when and how they came to join ;-) ].

Yesterday we celebrated our ten years of crafting, with wonderful deserts made by Jenny and her husband Ray [ they were eaten too quickly for me to take a photo!]

We played a open or steal gift game in the morning, made origami bags and had much laughter. After lunch we had show and tell, which is always a highlight as we make so many different things between us. Then followed the mad Right / Left game, where holding a FQ a story is read out and every time right is mentioned you pass your FQ to the right, and when left is mentioned pass to the left.. the tears of laughter fell !

I was given a lovely bunch of flowers and card, for which I thank my group and look forward to the next 10 years, when it was decided we would all arrive in an Age Concern bus with our walkers.. what a fun group.